Obama signs bill to cut horse slaughter

ROSWELL, N.M. (KRQE) – Bad news for the Roswell’s horse slaughterhouse as Friday President Obama signed a spending bill that takes away funding for inspections and without those inspections, the slaughterhouse can’t open.

It’s the latest effort to block businesses from slaughtering horses for food in the U.S. and it’s just the latest struggle for Roswell’s Valley Meat Company.

In 2011, owner Rick De Los Santos announced he planned to turn his cattle slaughterhouse into a horse slaughterhouse. Since then, he’s gone through court battles from animal rights groups to the attorney general.

Despite the discouraging news released Friday, De Los Santos says he’s not giving up, “If there’s an ounce of maybe, we are going to push for it,” he said, “That’s where we are at.”

De Los Santos says he’s not surprised President Obama signed the bill and will meet with his attorney and regroup. Friday morning he told KRQE News 13 they were considering filing a claim that says the funding ban violates provisions of the North American Free Trade Act.

New Mexico’s Attorney General is suing to stop Valley Meat from opening, saying they are not sure what the spending bill would do to that lawsuit, but could mean the fight is over.